“The differences in the notes or the differences in the pitch of the notes are called intervals. We see that there are three kinds of intervals in the octave: 9/8, 10/9, and 16/15, which in whole numbers correspond to 405, 400, and 384. The smallest interval 16/15 occurs between mi and fa and between SI and do. These are precisely the places of retardation in the octave. Fragments: Seven

“In relation to the muSIcal (seven-tone) scale it is generally conSIdered (theoretically) that there are two semitones between each two notes, with the exception of the intervals mi-fa and SI-do, which have only one semitone and in which one semitone is regarded as being left out. Fragments: Seven

“In this manner twenty notes are obtained, eight of which are fundamental: do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, SI, do; and twelve intermediate: two between each of the following two notes: do-re re-mi fa-sol sol-la la-SI; and one between each of the following two notes: mi-fa SI-do. “But in practice, that is, in muSIc, instead of twelve intermediate semitones only five are taken, that is one semitone between: do-re re-mi fa-sol sol-la la-SI. “Between mi and fa and between SI and do the semitone is not taken at all. Fragments: Seven

“In this way the structure of the muSIcal seven-tone scale gives a scheme of the cosmic law of ‘intervals,’ or absent semitones. In this respect when octaves are spoken of in a ‘cosmic’ or a ‘mechanical’ sense, only those intervals between mi-fa and SI-do are called ‘intervals’ Fragments: Seven

“What precisely does happen at the moment of the retardation of vibrations? A deviation from the original direction takes place. The octave begins in the direction shown by the arrow: “But a deviation takes place between mi and fa; the line begun at do changes its direction and through fa, sol, la, and SI it descends at an angle to its original direction, shown by the first three notes. Between SI and do the second ‘interval’ occurs — a fresh deviation, a further change of direction. Fragments: Seven

“In an ascending octave the first ‘interval’ comes between mi and fa. If corresponding additional energy enters at this point the octave will develop without hindrance to SI, but between SI and do it needs a much stronger ‘additional shock’ for its right development than between mi and fa, because the vibrations of the octave at this point are of a conSIderably higher pitch and to overcome a check in the development of the octave a greater intenSIty is needed. Fragments: Seven

“In a descending octave, on the other hand, the greatest ‘interval’ occurs at the very beginning of the octave, immediately after the first do and the material for filling it is very often found either in do itself or in the lateral vibrations evoked by do. For this reason a descending octave develops much more eaSIly than an ascending octave and in pasSIng beyond SI it reaches fa without hindrance; here an ‘additional shock’ is necessary, though conSIderably less strong than the first ‘shock’ between do and SI. Fragments: Seven

“In the big cosmic octave, which reaches us in the form of the ray of creation, we can see the first complete example of the law of octaves. The ray of creation begins with the Absolute. The Absolute is the All. The All, possesSIng full unity, full will, and full consciousness, creates worlds within itself, in this way beginning the descending world octave. The Absolute is the do of this octave. The worlds which the Absolute creates in itself are SI. The ‘interval’ between do and SI in this case is filled by the will of the Absolute. The process of creation is developed further by the force of the original impulse and an ‘additional shock.’ Si passes into la which for us is our star world, the Milky Way. La passes into sol — our sun, the solar system. Sol passes into fa — the planetary world. And here between the planetary world as a whole and our earth occurs an ‘interval.’ This means that the planetary radiations carrying various influences to the earth are not able to reach it, or, to speak more correctly, they are not received, the earth reflects them. In order to fill the ‘interval’ at this point of the ray of creation a special apparatus is created for receiving and transmitting the influences coming from the planets. This apparatus is organic life on earth. Organic life transmits to the earth all the influences intended for it and makes posSIble the further development and growth of the earth, mi of the cosmic octave, and then of the moon or re, after which follows another do — Nothing. Between All and Nothing passes the ray of creation. Fragments: Seven

“The ray of creation like every other process which is complete at a given moment can be regarded as an octave. This would be a de-scending octave in which do passes into SI, SI into la and so on. Fragments: Seven

“The Absolute or All (world 1) will be do; all worlds (world 3) — SI; all suns (world 6) — la; our sun (world 12) — sol; all planets (world 24) — fa; the earth (world 48) — mi; the moon (world 96) — re. The ray of creation begins with the Absolute. The Absolute is All. It is — do. Fragments: Seven

“In examining the ray of creation or cosmic octave we see that ‘intervals’ should come in the development of this octave: the first between do and SI, that is between world 1 and world 3, between the Absolute and ‘all worlds,’ and the second between fa and mi, that is, between world 24 and world 48, between ‘all planets’ and the earth. But the first ‘interval’ is filled by the will of the Absolute. One of the manifestations of the will of the Absolute conSIsts precisely in the filling of this ‘interval’ by means of a conscious manifestation of neu-tralizing force which fills up the ‘interval’ between the active and the pasSIve forces. With the second ‘interval’ the SItuation is more complicated. Something is misSIng between the planets and the earth. Planetary influences cannot pass to the earth consecutively and fully. An ‘additional shock’ is indispensable; the creation of some new conditions to insure a proper passage of forces is indispensable. Fragments: Seven

“In the present instance sol begins to sound as do. Descending to the level of the planets this new octave passes into SI; descending still lower it produces three notes, la, sol, fa, which create and constitute organic life on earth in the form that we know it; mi of this octave blends with mi of the cosmic octave, that is, with the earth, and re with the re of the cosmic octave, that is, with the moon.” Fragments: Seven

“In the first octave the Absolute will include two notes, do and SI, with the ‘interval’ between them. Fragments: Nine

“The radiations reach the sun. Two notes are included in the sun itself, do, an ‘interval,’ and SI, then follow la, sol, fa — radiations going towards the earth. Fragments: Nine

“Then an ‘interval’ and the ‘shock’ of organic life which fills it, then mi and re. The earth: do, an ‘interval,’ SI, and then la, sol, fa — radiations going towards the moon; then again an ‘interval,’ a ‘shock’ unknown to us, then mi, re, and the moon, do. Fragments: Nine

“It must be observed that, although there are SIx ‘intervals’ in these three octaves, only three of them actually require to be supplemented from outSIde. The first ‘interval’ between do and SI is filled by the will of the Absolute. The second ‘interval’ do-SI is filled by the influence of the sun’s mass upon radiations pasSIng through it. And the third ‘interval’ do-SI is filled by the action of the earth’s mass upon radiations pasSIng through it. Only the ‘intervals’ between fa and mi have to be filled by ‘additional shocks.’ These ‘additional shocks’ can come either from other octaves which pass across the given point or from parallel octaves which start from higher points. We know nothing about the nature of the ‘shock’ between mi-fa in the first octaoctave Absolute-Sun. But the ‘shock’ in the octave Sun-Earth is organic life on earth, that is, the three notes la, sol, fa of the octave which starts in the sun. The nature of the ‘shock’ between mi and fa in the octave Earth-Moon is unknown to us. Fragments: Nine

“The note SI in the Absolute will be the conductor of the pasSIve force deSIgnated by the number 2. And the matter in which this pasSIve force acts or in which sounds the note SI will be ‘oxygen’ (0). Fragments: Nine

“The triad do, SI, la will give ‘hydrogen’ 96 (H96): Fragments: Nine

do, SI, la — ‘hydrogen’ 1536 (H1536): The ninth triad Fragments: Nine

“La 24 unites with ‘carbon’ 6 present in the organism and is transformed into ‘nitrogen’ 12, or SI 12. Si 12 is the highest substance produced in the organism from phySIcal food with the help of the ‘additional shock’ obtained from the air. Fragments: Nine

“Under normal conditions, that is, the conditions of normal existence, the production of the fine matters by the factory at this point comes to a stop and the third octave sounds as do only. The highest substance produced by the factory is SI 12 and for all its higher functions the factory is able to use only this higher matter. Fragments: Nine

“We have followed the development of two octaves. The third octave, that is, the octave of impresSIons, begins through a conscious effort. Do 48 passes to re 24; re 24 passes to mi 12. At this point the development of the octave comes to a stop. “Now if we examine the result of the development of these three octaves, we shall see that the first octave has reached SI 12, the second la 6, and the third mi 12. Thus the first and third octaves stop at notes which are unable to pass to the following notes. “For the two octaves to develop further, a second conscious shock is needed at a certain point in the machine, a new conscious effort is necessary which will enable the two octaves to continue their development. The nature of this effort demands special study. From the point of view of the general work of the machine it can be said in general that this effort is connected with the emotional life, that it is a special kind of influence over one’s emotions. But what this kind of influence really is, and how it has to be produced, can be explained only in connection with a general description of the work of the human factory or the human machine. Fragments: Nine

“If we now take the work of the human factory as a whole, we shall be able to see at the moments when the production of fine substances is arrested by what means we can increase the productivity of the factory. We see that, under ordinary conditions and working with one mechanical ‘shock’ the factory produces a very small quantity of the fine substances, in fact only SI 12. Working with one mechanical and one conscious ‘shock’ the factory now produces a much greater quantity of the fine substances. Working with two conscious ‘shocks’ the factory will produce a quantity of the fine substances such as, in the course of time, will completely change the character of the factory itself. Fragments: Nine

“The first stage refers to the work of the human organism as it has been created by nature, that is to say, to the life and functions of man number one, number two, and number three. The first octave, that is, the octave of food, develops in a normal way to mi 192. At this point it automatically receives a ‘shock’ from the beginning of the second octave, and its development goes on consecutively to SI 12. The second octave, that is, the air octave, begins with do 192 and develops to mi 48 where it stops. The third octave, that is, the octave of impresSIons, begins with do 48 and stops there. Thus seven notes of the first octave, three notes of the second, and one note of the third octave represent a complete picture of the work of the ‘human factory’ in its first or natural stage. Nature has provided only one ‘shock,’ that is, the ‘shock’ received from the entrance of the second octave which helps mi of the first octave to pass to fa. But nature did not foresee and did not provide for the second ‘shock,’ that is, the ‘shock’ that would help the development of the third octave and thereby enable mi of the second octave to pass to fa. A man must create this ‘shock’ by his own personal efforts if he deSIres to increase the output of the fine hydrogens in his organism. Fragments: Nine

“The second stage refers to the work of the human organism when a man creates a conscious volitional ‘shock’ at the point do 48. In the first place this volitional ‘shock’ is transmitted to the second octave which develops as far as sol 12, or even further up to la 6 and so on, if the work of the organism is sufficiently intense. The same ‘shock’ also enables the third octave to develop, that is, the octave of impresSIons which in this event reaches mi 12. Thus in the second stage of the work of the human organism, we see the full development of the second octave and three notes of the third octave. The first octave has stopped at the note SI 12, the third at the note mi 12. Neither of these octaves can proceed any further without a fresh ‘shock.’ The nature of this second ‘shock’ cannot be so eaSIly described as the nature of the first volitional ‘shock’ at do 48. In order to understand the nature of this ‘shock’ it is necessary to understand the meaning of SI 12 and mi 12. Fragments: Nine

“The effort which creates this ‘shock’ must conSIst in work on the emotions, in the transformation and transmutation of the emotions. This transmutation of the emotions will then help the transmutation of SI 12 in the human organism. No serious growth, that is, no growth of higher bodies within the organism, is posSIble without this transmutation. The idea of this transmutation was known to many ancient teachings as well as to some comparatively recent ones, such as the alchemy of the Middle Ages. But the alchemists spoke of this transmutation in the allegorical forms of the transformation of base metals into precious ones. In reality, however, they meant the transformation of coarse ‘hydrogens’ into finer ones in the human organism, chiefly of the transformation of mi 12. If this transformation is attained, a man can be said to have ‘achieved what he was striving for, and it can also be said that, until this transformation is attained, all results attained by a man can be lost because they are not fixed in him in any way; moreover, they are attained only in the spheres of thought and emotion. Real, objective results can be obtained only after the transmutation of mi 12 has begun. Fragments: Nine

“Alchemists who spoke of this transmutation began directly with it. They knew nothing, or at least they said nothing, about the nature of the first volitional ‘shock.’ It is upon this, however, that the whole thing depends. The second volitional ‘shock’ and transmutation become phySIcally posSIble only after long practice on the first volitional ‘shock,’ which conSIsts in self-remembering, and in observing the impresSIons received. On the way of the monk and on the way of the fakir work on the second ‘shock’ begins before work on the first ‘shock,’ but as mi 12 is created only as a result of the first ‘shock,’ work, in the absence of other material, has of necesSIty to be concentrated on SI 12, and it very often gives quite wrong results. Right development on the fourth way must begin with the first volitional ‘shock’ and then pass on to the second ‘shock’ at mi 12. Fragments: Nine

“‘Hydrogen’ SI 12 is the ‘hydrogen’ which represents the final product of the transformation of food in the human organism. This is the matter with which sex works and which sex manufactures. It is ‘seed’ or ‘fruit.’ Fragments: Twelve

” ‘Hydrogen’ SI 12 can pass into do of the next octave with the help of an ‘additional shock.’ But this ‘shock’ can be of a dual nature and different octaves can begin, one outSIde the organism which has produced SI, and the other in the organism itself. The union of male and female SI 12 and all that accompanies it constitutes the ‘shock’ of the first kind and the new octave begun with its help develops independently as a new organism or a new life. Fragments: Twelve

“This is the normal and natural way to use the energy of SI 12. But in the same organism there is a further posSIbility. And this is the posSIbility of creating a new life within the actual organism, in which the SI 12 has been manufactured, without the union of the two principles, the male and the female. A new octave then develops within the organism, not outSIde it This is the birth of the ‘astral body.’ You must understand that the ‘astral body’ is born of the same material, of the same matter, as the phySIcal body, only the process is different. The whole of the phySIcal body, all its cells, are, so to speak, permeated by emanations of the matter SI 12. And when they have become sufficiently saturated the matter SI 12 begins to crystallize. The crystallization of this matter constitutes the formation of the ‘astral body.’ Fragments: Twelve

“The tranSItion of matter SI 12 into emanations and the gradual saturation of the whole organism by it is what alchemy calls ‘transmutation’ or transformation. It is first this transformation of the phySIcal body into the astral that alchemy called the transformation of the ‘coarse’ into the ‘fine’ or the transformation of base metals into gold. Fragments: Twelve

“The sex center works with ‘hydrogen’ 12,” he said on this occaSIon, “that is to say, it ought to work with it. This is SI 12. But the fact is that it very rarely works with its proper hydrogen. Abnormalities in the working of the sex center require special study. Fragments: Twelve

“We have spoken earlier of the law of octaves, of the fact that every process, no matter upon what scale it takes place, is completely determined in its gradual development by the law of the structure of the seven-tone scale. In connection with this it has been pointed out that every note, every tone, if taken on another scale is again a whole octave. The ‘intervals’ between mi and fa and between SI and do which cannot be filled by the intenSIty of the energy of the process in operation, and which require an outSIde ‘shock,’ outSIde help so to speak, connect by this very fact one process with other processes. From this it follows that the law of octaves connects all processes of the universe and, to one who knows the scales of the passage and the laws of the structure of the octave, it presents the posSIbility of an exact cognition of everything and every phenomenon in its essential nature and of all its interrelations with phenomena and things connected with it. Fragments: Fourteen

“The octave possesses seven tones and the eighth is a repetition of the first. Together with the two ‘additional shocks’ which fill the ‘intervals’ mi-fa and SI-do, there are nine elements. Fragments: Fourteen

“The isolated existence of a thing or phenomenon under examination is the closed circle of an eternally returning and uninterruptedly flowing process. The circle symbolizes this process. The separate points in the diviSIon of the circumference symbolize the steps of the process. The symbol as a whole is do, that is, something with an orderly and complete existence. It is a circle — a completed cycle. It is the zero of our decimal system; in its inscription it represents a closed cycle. It contains within itself everything necessary for its own existence. It is isolated from its surroundings. The succesSIon of stages in the process must be connected with the succesSIon of the remaining numbers from 1 to 9. The presence of the ninth step filling up the ‘interval’ SI-do, completes the cycle, that is, it closes the circle, which begins anew at this point. The apex of the triangle closes the duality of its base, making posSIble the manifold forms of its manifestation in the most diverse triangles, in the same way as the point of the apex of the triangle multiplies itself infinitely in the line of its base. Therefore every beginning and completion of the cycle is SItuated in the apex of the triangle, in the point where the beginning and the end merge, where the circle is closed, and which sounds in the endlessly flowing cycle as the two do’s in the octave. But it is the ninth step that closes and again begins a cycle. Therefore in the upper point of the triangle corresponding to do stands the number 9, and among the remaining points are disposed the numbers 1 to 8. Fragments: Fourteen

“At this point in our reasoning it would be entirely right to raise the question: Why is one of the ‘intervals’ which is deSIgnated by the number 3 found in its right place between the notes mi and fa, and the other, which is deSIgnated by the number 6, found between sol and la, when its right place is between SI and do. Fragments: Fourteen

that is, in one case x between mi and fa, and in the other between sol and la, where it is not necessary. “The apparent placing of the interval in its wrong place itself shows to those who are able to read the symbol what kind of ‘shock’ is required for the passage of SI to do. “In order to understand this, it is essential to recollect what was said about the role of ‘shocks’ in the processes proceeding in man and in the universe. “When we examined the application of the law of octaves to the cosmos then the step ‘sun-earth’ was represented in this way: “In relation to the three octaves of radiation it was pointed out that the passage of do to SI, the filling of the interval, takes place within the organism of the sun. It was pointed out in the cosmic octave in relation to the ‘interval’ do-SI that this passage is accomplished by the will of the Absolute. The passage fa-mi in the cosmic octave is accomplished mechanically with the help of a special machine which makes it posSIble for fa, which enters it, to acquire by a series of inner processes the characteristics of sol standing above it, without changing its note, that is, to accumulate, as it were, the inner energy for pasSIng independently into the next note, into mi. Fragments: Fourteen

“The final substance in the process of the food octave is the substance SI (‘hydrogen’ 12 in the third scale), which needs an ‘additional shock* in order to pass into a new do. But as three octaves have taken part in the production of this substance their influence is also reflected in the final result by determining its quality. The quality and quantity can be regulated by regulating the three kinds of food received by the organism. Only in the presence of a full and harmonious conformity between all three kinds of food, by a strengthening or weakening of the different parts of the process, is the required result obtained. Fragments: Fourteen

“Now if we recall the law of octaves we shall see that a balanced process proceeding in a certain way cannot be changed at any moment it is deSIred. It can be changed and set on a new path only at certain ‘cross-roads.’ In between the ‘crossroads’ nothing can be done. At the same time if a process passes by a ‘crossroad’ and nothing happens, nothing is done, then nothing can be done afterwards and the process will continue and develop according to mechanical laws; and even if people taking part in this process foresee the inevitable destruction of everything, they will be unable to do anything. I repeat that something can be done only at certain moments which I have just called ‘crossroads’ and which in octaves we have called the ‘intervals’ mi-fa and SI-do. Fragments: Fifteen

This SIgnified that there was no wrong place for a “shock” at all. Point 6 showed the entry of the “shock” in the second octave and the “shock” was the do which began the third octave. All three octaves reached Hi 2. In one it was SI, in the second sol, and in the third mi. The second octave which ended at 12 in the enneagram ought to have gone on further. But SI 12 and mi 12 required an “additional shock.” I thought a great deal about the nature of these “shocks” at that time but I will speak of them later. Fragments: Eighteen